


Written Words

by GhoulsOnMyBike



Series: Modern Athelnar [2]
Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 14:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4022911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhoulsOnMyBike/pseuds/GhoulsOnMyBike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from chatterboxrose: you’re famous and always seem to answer my questions during twitter q&a’s and it’s actually because you think I’m cute from my profile photo and when I go to your m&g your eyes light up and you know my name oh my goD</p>
            </blockquote>





	Written Words

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Wing (thorinshielding) for saving me yet again by editing this for me. What would I do without her?

When Ragnar was a kid, he really found no enjoyment in reading. Despite his mother’s protests, most of Ragnar’s free time was spent following his older brother around or playing ball with his friends. He never saw the use in staring at words on a page when the real world, the real adventure, was on the outside.

Unfortunately, this also meant that a lot of foolish people made judgements about his intelligence. Even his parents were always surprised when he brought home report cards full of straight A’s. They couldn’t believe it when he announced he was going to college - even more astounding to them was the fact that he was accepted to every college he applied to. It was offensive to Ragnar, really. It wasn’t like he never read, he just didn’t go out of his way to do so. There were a few books he’d been forced to read in high school that he’d enjoyed; _1984_ , _Moby Dick_ , _Lord of the Flies_. Over the years he’d gone over some of the books friends had recommended, read a few based on movies he’d enjoyed; but overall, Ragnar just wasn’t a bookworm.

Then, Ragnar watched ‘Vikings’. a show based on a series of books. Politics, sex, war and a charming monk that longed to explore foreign lands – what more could he want?  ; after just three episodes, Ragnar had rushed to the bookstore just fifteen minutes before they closed, buying every novel in the six-book series.

He was hooked. The show had been good but the books were incomparable. With every page, Ragnar was there, in their world; watching the mist coming off the sea, smelling the musk of the earth. He felt the sweat-slicked flesh under his fingertips, the post-battle adrenaline driving the two characters mad with want, celebrating their victory in a more intimate way than the drunken warriors singing and dancing outside their tent. When it ended, the way it ended, Ragnar felt he’d lost a friend, a loved one. As the main character buried the love of his life and said goodbye, Ragnar felt his pain as vividly as if it was his own.

Then Lagertha introduced him to Twitter. She explained that he could follow the author, Athelstan Lindisfarne, and he’d be able to get updates on his newest series.Ragnar thought this was a bad idea from the very beginning. What else would he do with a Twitter account? Tell his zero followers about what he ate for breakfast? No, thank you.

But then, aided by Lagertha, he discovered ‘fandom’. Though he had to sort through a bunch of negativity and other strange things he tried not to remember, he found quite a few people who genuinely shared his love for the series.  Through them he learned about ‘shipping’ and though he stayed away from fanfiction, it was amazing to him how deep this – this culture went.

When Ragnar finally went to Athelstan’s profile, feeling like an idiot and very much like a stalker, he was struck by just how young the author was. He’d been expecting someone more old and grey; a man shut off from the world has he dreamt of his own imaginary one. But it was written plain as day in his bio: _‘Hey guys, Athelstan Lindisfarne here. Age 24. Author of the ‘Vikings’ series. Watch for ‘Bound By Blood’, the first in a trilogy which will be hitting the shelves in October.’_ And he was cute, very cute, which really wasn’t fair at all. Ragnar didn’t want to be one of those fans, drooling at a computer screen over a handsome celebrity; even if Ragnar did want to know what that neck would look like with his mark on it -theoretically speaking,of course. He clicked off the page, feeling slightly guilty,and did his best to avoid Twitter for the next few days.

That was until he found out from Siggy, who was also a fan, that Athelstan would be doing a question and answer segment with fans.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Ragnar, I never ask anything at these things. I mean they get hundreds of questions every ten minutes. What are the chances they’ll see mine?”

Ragnar realized that it was a valid point but still, why not give it a shot? What is the worst that could happen? So, he typed out his question, _‘How did you accomplish so much at such a young age? The ‘Vikings’ books are quite long, to say the least.’_

Of course, the worst does happen, and Athelstan responds to his question within minutes. When Ragnar notices the little number one attached to his notifications tab, his heart leaps up in his chest. Hoping it wasn’t just another fellow fan ‘favouriting’ his post, he clicked on it and hoped for the best.

_‘I started planning them out when I was sixteen actually. Spent a lot of nights writing while my friends were out.’_

That was only the beginning though. Three weeks later, there was another question and answer session, this time as promotion for the second season of ‘Vikings’. Ragnar sent in his question, expecting to be only slightly disappointed when there was no answer. _‘Are you hoping Bound By Blood has as much success as Vikings?’_

And then that notification showed up, and Ragnar’s heartbeat quickened ever so slightly.

‘ _I mostly feel like I just got lucky with the success of my first series. I just hope people actually read the new one :)_ ’

Ragnar smiled to himself, not many fans were so lucky as to get two responses from their favorite celebrity. He hit respond, ‘I’ll read it. I love your work.’ He reluctantly closed his laptop lid, leaving the Twittersphere for the real life duties of work.

That night, he tried to ignore the way his heart soared when he saw that Athelstan had favourited his response.

He told himself over and over that it was stupid to get attached to someone he’d never be more than a fan to. Especially over social media, but still - it couldn’t be that bad to have a small crush, right? He certainly wasn’t the only one. He’d seen some of the graphic things people had sent to Athelstan over twitter, anonymity making them braver. He could say with near absolute certainty that he wouldn’t cross that line.

Almost a month went by before the next Q&A. That time Ragnar had two questions answered.

Then, he began asking questions outside of Q&A’s, making posts about his opinions on the changes the show made, about the decisions made by the actors and directors. Always, Ragnar got a response. When he got to the point where he started imagining it was anything more than luck, pure coincidence, he stopped going on Twitter. He asked Siggy to let him know when the first ‘Bound By Blood’ book came out, but otherwise he avoided any updates from his favorite author. He didn’t watch the interviews that started appearing on television, ignored the links to Youtube videos that Rollo sent him of panels at conventions that Athelstan had attended.

He was quitting cold turkey.

Or – well, he had intended to.

When Siggy announced Athelstan was going to doing a book signing in the next town over and that she was going to go, Ragnar couldn’t resist tagging along.

Everywhere Ragnar looked there were people in waiting to see Athelstan. It hit him how he was just another face in the crowd. As he stood in line he watched people jumping with excitement, clutching their books in their arms like someone would try and take them away. There were people in costume, people who were tearing up, some were loudly proclaiming for all to hear that they had read the books before the series came out. It was all – too much. Ragnar felt out of place, uncomfortable in his own skin for the first time in his life.

And then, it was his turn. He was looking straight at the face he’d only ever seen through a computer screen.

He was imagining the way Athelstan’s smile got a little bigger. He was just imagining that his eyes lit up, he –

“Ragnar!”

What?

“You know me?” Ragnar shifts on his feet, head cocking to the side.

Athelstan blushes, “I – well, yeah. You are Ragnar, right? You asked all the great questions on Twitter.”

“Yeah, that’s me. Just, wait, you really know me?”

Smooth. Beside him, Siggy is trying to hide a laugh. She’s failing.

“Your – uh, your profile picture?” Athelstan is nodding and his face gets even redder, “I noticed it. Can I sign that?”

It takes a moment for Ragnar to catch on to the fact that Athelstan means the book in his hand.  He hands it over without a word just as a store employee starts rushing them along. Athelstan finishes signing and hands the book back. He gives a little wave and then Ragnar is forced to move on so the rest of the people in line can have their turn.

Siggy laughs the whole way home. She calls Rollo, then Lagertha, and Ragnar knows he’ll never live that down.

It’s not until he’s finally back at his apartment that he opens the book.

There, scribbled under Athelstan’s signature, is his phone number.

****  
  



End file.
